LA Coliseum Commission to give up free tickets

The Associated Press

Officials who oversee the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum have agreed to give up free USC football tickets and tickets to any NFL games played there.

The Los Angeles Times (
http://lat.ms/K1EEtX
) says the nine-member Coliseum Commission has removed the ticket provision from the draft of a proposed lease that would give control of the Coliseum to USC. Commissioners originally wanted the right to 90 tickets for every Trojan game at the taxpayer-owned arena.

The commission also has relinquished access to a VIP area.

The 88-year-old Coliseum has been embroiled in scandal. A recent audit said it lost millions in the past decade. A former general manager pleaded guilty to conflict of interest in an alleged kickback scheme. Two former managers, a contractor and two rave promoters also have been charged.